Today active-safety systems, such as collision avoidance systems with automated braking and lane keeping assistants with automated steering, provide for increased safety during vehicle travel.
One type of system, with a potentially large positive impact on accident statistics, is a Forward Collision Avoidance System (FCAS). An FCAS uses sensors based on technologies such as RADAR (RAdio Detection And Ranging), LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging), LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) and cameras to monitor the region in front of the host vehicle. In the FCAS a tracking algorithm is used to estimate the state of the objects ahead and a decision algorithm uses the estimated states to determine any action, such as e.g. warning a driver or performing autonomous braking of the vehicle.
However, even if such active-safety systems keep getting better and better, limitations in such systems and also limitations set by the laws of physics will sometimes make accidents, such as unintentional roadway departure, unavoidable. There is of course a risk of serious consequences should a collision occur between one's own vehicle and objects aside the road. Collisions with such objects also often occur at significant speeds, why the risk for structural damages to the vehicle is substantial.
One type of impact, with potentially serious consequences for vehicle occupants, is when a vehicle leaves the road and suffers an impact to the floor of the vehicle, e.g. hits a rock or boulder after departing from the road. Such an impact to the underside of the floor of the vehicle may cause vehicle occupants serious lower spine injuries and may even lead to fatalities.